News

Sensational Little Paradise leads home an Inglis quinella in Hong Kong Classic Mile

1st Feb 2026

On the eve of the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale in Sydney, Classic graduate Little Paradise (Toronado) came from what looked an impossible position midway down the straight to post an emphatic victory in the Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin.

It is the third time in the last four years that the first leg of the Hong Kong 4YO Series has been won by an Inglis graduate following the victories of Voyage Bubble (2023) and Helios Express (2024).

Despite a question mark on his ability to stay the 1600m, the Jimmy Ting trainee relished the trip, coming from second last on the turn and overcoming a chequered passage in the straight to surge clear in the closing stages and record a decisive win by a widening two-length margin.

Filling the runner-up spot was the Mark Newnham trained Infinite Resolve (Snitzel), who was a $350,000 purchase by Apollo Stud Farm at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Little Paradise was offered at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Wayne and Pauline Alchin’s Carramar Park on behalf of their son Tim, who bred him.

He was purchased by the combination of Chris McAnulty (Dullingham) and Bond Li (Legends Bloodstock) for $270,000.

It was a dream result for Tim Alchin, who had bought his dam Devil In Her Heart carrying Little Paradise for just $27,500 on Inglis Digital in February 2021.

A tilt at the next leg of the series, the Hong Kong Classic Cup over 1800m, is next on the cards for Little Paradise, before targeting Hong Kong’s most prestigious race, the Hong Kong Derby on March 22, for which he is now the short-priced favourite.

Both Chris McAnulty and Tim Alchin were trackside at Sha Tin to witness the victory.

“For him to be where he was on the home corner and to still win like he did, is pretty unbelievable,” McAnulty said.

“It is immensely gratifying for Bond and myself to have identified Little Paradise as a yearling and to see him go on and win a domestic G1 in Hong Kong.

“The idea was always to trade him to Hong Kong, we purchased him from Inglis Classic and sent him to Bjorn Baker at Warwick Farm and once he won his trial at his first outing, Jimmy Ting came and looked at the horse and had a client ready to buy.”

For trainer Jimmy Ting – who won the Hong Kong Classic Mile as a jockey 26 years ago – it was a dream come true.

“This is my dream and it’s come true, I’m so happy for the owner – he’s a very lucky owner,” said Ting.

“What a perfect win, I didn’t think before the race he would win so easily and that last 300m I was thinking oh no can he get a run - but when he got clear it was all over.”

Tim Alchin was almost speechless after the race and said it meant so much to his family at Carramar Park.

“This is my first trip to Hong Kong, I’ve always wanted to visit and this felt like the perfect excuse – win or lose – and I just can’t describe the feeling… for a smaller stud this is just unreal,” Alchin said.

“My partner Georgia and I arrived on Thursday and this whole build up has been incredible, then to watch the race unfold when he couldn’t find a gap then burst through the middle, it’s hard to describe the feeling, my heart was popping out of my chest!

“He is the first horse I’ve ever sold myself and to see that foal become a G1 winner in Hong Kong is something everyone dreams about.

“My dad Wayne loves Inglis Digital and can’t wait to celebrate with him and mum at Warwick Farm this week at inspections, we fly out tomorrow and will head straight to Riverside.”

Carramar Park will offer a Farnan half brother to Little Paradise as lot 268 at the 2026 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, March 29-30.

View the Easter catalogue HERE.

The team will also present a draft of three yearlings at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, with official inspections to begin on Tuesday, February 3 at Riverside Stables, ahead of the sale February 8-10.

View the Classic catalogue HERE.

Two supplementary lots have been confirmed for the Classic Yearling Sale.

Newgate Farm will offer an Artorius colt out of American mare Kiss the Daddy (lot 799) while a Home Affairs x Word On The Street colt has been catalogued as lot 800 in the Tyreel draft.

The two supplementaries will be offered in catalogue alphabetical order – lot 799 after lot 111 and lot 800 after lot 586.